CSU spends $2M on presidential home renovations in past decade

California State University campuses have in the last 10 years spent more than $2 million renovating eight university-owned presidential residences - rehabbing kitchens, expanding garages and even hiring interior designers, according to figures provided by the university.

At least half of the spending came from state funding sources, and the figure does not include annual maintenance and repairs.

CSU Fullerton took heat earlier this month for providing incoming President Mildred Garcia with a
$300,000 remodel
to the historic El Dorado Ranch, which is the president's residence, while CSU Northridge received criticism for spending
$115,000
to rehab the home of newly named President Dianne Harrison.

But Garcia and Harrison are among five campus leaders in the past 10 years whose appointment as a CSU president came with a six-figure renovation to their university-owned residences.

Cal Poly Pomona spent $167,000 in state funds to replace the plumbing, renovate the kitchen and install new windows at the Manor House in 2004, the year after inaugurating President J. Michael Ortiz.

In 2011, the year President Elliot Hirshman was appointed, San Diego State University spent $257,000 on kitchen upgrades, new windows, pool replastering and other projects to spruce up University House - about $100,000 more than was
previously reported
.

And Cal Poly San Luis Obispo shelled out $230,000 in 2011 on lighting replacements, kitchen upgrades, new wood flooring and more for its University House when the campus welcomed President Jeffrey Armstrong. That came on top of $200,000 in renovations the university had completed in 2010 - including repairs to the event tent, termite tenting and a new roof for the family room.

"I didn't realize it was that much money," said Glen Thorncroft, a mechanical engineering professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and president of the campus faculty union chapter.

Thorncroft said that when faculty heard initial figures on how much was spent to renovate the house, the reaction was mixed.

"There were some people who felt like maybe it costs that much to refurbish," Thorncroft said. "The problem is, it's just so disjointed from the budget realities that it's hard to fathom that we're spending these kinds of monies on things that aren't paying for classes for our students or going to hire faculty to teach the classes."

In fact, the Central Coast campus has spent more money on renovations for its on-campus presidential residence than any other campus with CSU-owned properties in the past decade. Projects performed since 2004 have cost Cal Poly San Luis Obispo $831,000, and 99 percent of that came from state funding.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's former President Warren J. Baker moved out of the presidential residence in 2004, when he opted instead for the $60,000 annual housing allowance afforded by CSU.

While 11 university presidents and the system chancellor live in university-owned residences, leaders at 12 campuses receive a $60,000 annual housing allowance instead. Presidential homes double as the location of many official university functions.